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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23996881">This Time Round</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michael2scott2/pseuds/Michael2scott2'>Michael2scott2</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Who (2005)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Companions, F/F, F/M, Friendship, Original Character - Freeform, Romance, Time Travel, death/trauma</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 21:27:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>19,169</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23996881</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Michael2scott2/pseuds/Michael2scott2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It starts with a man in a bow tie, a blue box and... a little bit of mace. She thanks all the Gods out there for bringing her that strange man in the big blue box because she wouldn't trade those days full of danger and adventure and boredom for anything. They scarred her, thrilled her and changed her. And they were how she fell in love with the Doctor.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>The Doctor (Doctor Who) &amp; Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Beginning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ivy woke with a start, the familiar terror threading its way through her body, consuming her. She twisted, throwing the constricting covers off her and gasping wildly for air. Button, her Golden Retriever, came to her side, her cold nose pressing against her sweaty palm and let out a long, sad whine. She was slowly coming back to herself, her fingers weaving through the soft golden fur as her breathing slowly calmed. It was a familiar routine, one her and Button had gotten down well over the years.</p>
<p>As she calmed, Button perked up, her ears flicking forward and her tail thumping against her now sweaty sheets. She gave a shaky smile, scratching behind her ears in thanks. "Good girl." She whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead.</p>
<p>After a couple more minutes of calming down, she slid out of bed and headed toward the kitchen. Button followed after her dutifully, watching her cautiously as she moved around the kitchen and began to make coffee. Going back to sleep was never an option after the nightmares, so she grabbed some textbooks and began her homework.</p>
<p>Hours later, after finishing all her chapters, her homework and even doing some research for her paper not due for another few months, the sun began to rise outside. She paused, rubbing her face tiredly before grabbing her coffee and walking out to her balcony. She sipped at it, seating herself on the lawn chair and absentmindedly rubbed Button's head as the sky began to lighten. After a couple minutes she slowly stood, gazing out at skyline before heading back inside and getting ready for work. She paused at the door, her brow furrowing as she glanced at Button. Instead of following her as usual, she had hesitated, staring out at something outside. She rolled her eyes, grinning at the dog. "Come on, Button." She prompted, trying to tear her away from the squirrel or bird that had caught her eye, and the two headed inside to start the day.</p>
<p>~DW~</p>
<p>"Just listen, Ivy!" Emma begged, trailing after her through the hallway of the cafeteria of the college. Ivy sighed, trying and almost failing to stop herself from rolling her eyes as Emma walked a bit faster to catch up with her. "I'm serious, Ivy. He's so sweet and funny and nice-"</p>
<p>"Then you go out with him, Emma." Ivy muttered, rolling her eyes as she grabbed another cup of coffee from the barista and headed toward the salad bar. Emma trailed behind her, grabbing a couple of snacks along the way and trying to keep up with her at the same time, all while still talking. Ivy was still annoyed, but couldn't help but be impressed.</p>
<p>"I'm still dating Eli." Emma muttered, her cheeks turning a bright shade of pink. "Just give this one a chance. You didn't even try last time."</p>
<p>"In my defense, I was trying." Ivy said, pausing to give her a look. "Then he said he lived with his parents. So..."</p>
<p>Emma rolled her eyes, throwing her yogurt down on the table and glaring at her. "Okay, that was one guy." She muttered, giving her a sheepish look. "But this one is different-"</p>
<p>"Look, Em." She said, cutting her off before she could give another spectacular description of this lovely, perfect guy. "I'm 26. I'm too old to be set up." Emma gave an incredulous look, opening her mouth to protest, but she quickly cut her off again. "Seriously, Emma. No more."</p>
<p>She gave Ivy a hurt, offended look and moodily stabbed at her yogurt. Ivy knew she would be mad at her for a little while, but she didn't really care. All she wanted was for her to stop with these dates. She knew Emma's heart was in the right place... it always was, but it was just too painful.</p>
<p>Not that Emma knew why it was so painful, so she couldn't really blame her friend. Like she said, her heart was in the right place.</p>
<p>"Speaking of dates, how was the one with Eli?" Ivy asked, knowing that would tide over her anger just a bit. Emma's cheeks turned red again, but she gave a delighted smile before she launched into a play by play of the date from that weekend. Ivy half listened, nodding and making an affirmative noise in the right spots. After a little while they parted ways, Ivy heading home and Emma heading to her last class of the day.</p>
<p>She opened the door to her small, dinky apartment, expecting Button to rush her as soon as the door opened as she usually did, but was surprised when the dog was nowhere to be found. She paused, slowly setting her backpack down as she listened for Button, an eerie feeling filling her when she heard nothing at first. She slowly moved down the hall, still listening intently.</p>
<p>"...you're quite welcome... is good to see you again... Oh! It is so cool..."</p>
<p>She paused, her heart hammering in her chest as she quickly began to fumble around her purse for her phone and the small can of pepper spray she kept with her. She cursed as the purse fell from her shaking fingers and pens, Chap Stick and spare change clattered loudly onto the floor. She quickly crouched down, grabbing for the pepper spray before she heard the footsteps, the intruder coming closer and closer before she finally grabbed it, whipping around just as the man was before her and got him straight in the face.</p>
<p>He let out a yelp, stumbling back and falling into the wall. Ivy stumbled back as well, trying to get as far away from the strange man as possible, the pepper spray still held up. She finally got a good look at the man and for a moment was struck by odd he dressed for a thief. He was tall and thin, with a boyish face, a flop of brown hair and wore an odd tweed jacket, suspenders and a blue bowtie. He looked more like a nerdy professor than a thief or a criminal.</p>
<p>"What did you do that for?!" He cried with a British accent that was out of place in the middle of Indiana, even for a college town. "I apologized for what happened on Mars!"</p>
<p>"What the hell are you doing in my house?!" She snapped, watching him rub his eyes harshly, trying to clear the pepper spray from them and making the skin around his eyes a bright red.</p>
<p>"I'm coming to get you! I was going to take you to see the Beatles, but as I'm blind now, that might be a problem!" He cried, rubbing his eyes one last time before throwing his hands down and giving her a pathetic glare through red, tear filled eyes. He looked angry with her, but even that didn't look threatening. In fact, he was looking at her as if he knew her. So not a thief, a crazy stalker. A crazy stalker that was obviously delusional thinking he could take her to see the Beatles.</p>
<p>"Who are you?" She demanded, still pointing the pepper spray at him as she slowly moved toward her phone on the ground. He had been blinking rapidly and rubbing his tears away when she asked this and to her surprise he stopped, his hands falling to his side and he gave her a look that was a mixture of horrible sadness and shock.</p>
<p>"Ivy," He muttered, looking like a kicked puppy. "You know who I am."</p>
<p>She backed away just a bit, her brow furrowing as she stared at that hurt face. He looked so genuinely disappointed, so sad that it caught her off guard. She knew from some documentary that stalkers often made deep connections with their objects of affections where others wouldn't and she tried to remember where she ever would of came across this odd man. She was 100% sure she had never met him before, even in passing. Somehow she was sure she would remember someone who looked like him. "I really don't." She said, watching that sad look cross his features again. It was only on his face for just a moment this time before he gathered himself, adjusting his bow tie and straightening himself.</p>
<p>"Somehow it makes me feel a bit better about the pepper spray." He muttered, wiping at his eyes one last time before giving her a giant grin. "Not the first meeting I wanted though. No wonder you would never tell me."</p>
<p>Ivy felt her fear begin to dwindle and instead she began to wonder if the odd man was simply sick. He was talking like he was completely insane and he certainly dressed like he was a bit off. "What are you talking about?"</p>
<p>"We know each other. Or at this point in time, I know you." He stated, dusting his jacket off before he bent down and began to gather her things from the ground. Before she could dive down and grab her phone he had already taken it, but to her surprise he held it out for her. She snatched it from him, her fingers poised over the emergency call button but she was slowly becoming less and less sure about involving the police. He seemed to be just confused and maybe a little mentally off, not dangerous. Maybe she could talk him into coming with her to the hospital?</p>
<p>"So you know me. Have you been... watching me or something?" She asked, keeping a good distance from him as he walked past her toward the hangers she had by her door and setting her purse on a hook. He gave her a confused look, tilting his head at her question.</p>
<p>"We travel together. Starts now I suppose." He muttered, turning the corner toward her kitchen and she followed after him, trying to keep an eye on him. "Gather what you want, we won't be back for a while!"</p>
<p>"Look I'm not-" She came to a dead stop, staring in horror at the large blue police box sitting in the middle of her tiny kitchen. "What did you... how..." She stepped forward, studying the thing in anger and disbelief. It was one thing to break into her apartment, it was another to bring some giant box with him. Who broke into someone's apartment to bring in an old police box? Not to mention... how? "That's it. I've had enough."</p>
<p>She began to dial for the police, but before she could press the call button he lunged forward, grabbing for the phone and stealing it away from her. She gave a cry, trying to grab it back but he shoved it into his pocket and held his hands up. "How dare you-"</p>
<p>"I'm the Doctor!" He cried, dodging her as she tried to grab for his jacket. "I'm a time traveler. Me and you, we travel together, but never in the same order. This... this is the beginning for you, but for me... I've known you for hundreds of years."</p>
<p>She shook her head, slowly backing away from him. "You're insane." She breathed, her heart hammering in her chest. She had been wrong. He was some dangerous stalker.</p>
<p>He held a long finger up suddenly, giving her a desperate look before he shoved the door of the Police box open and she gaped, staring in disbelief at the inside at a room that couldn't possibly fit inside the tiny box. "My ship." He whispered, watching her as she carefully stepped forward, to curious and mesmerized to remember she had just been running away. It couldn't possibly be real. It had to be some sort of hologram or fake background.</p>
<p>"That's not possible." She muttered, stepping close to the door and reached out for the false back or to find the camera's projecting the hologram inside. Just as she was about to tear herself away, Button brushed past her, heading straight into the large room and instead of hitting the other side of the wall, she kept going. She padded right down the steps, sniffing here and there before circling the console and then looked back out at Ivy with her tongue out and her tail wagging. "H-how..." She gasped, taking a step inside despite her fear and she slowly began to make her way down the steps toward Button.</p>
<p>She heard footsteps just behind her and it was only then she realized she had completely forgotten about this strange man calling himself the Doctor. He stood in the doorway, gazing out at her and Button with a small smile, her apartment just behind him. It was an odd crash of realities and she couldn't help but wonder if she was dreaming. "Who are you?" She breathed, an odd mixture of fascination and fear swirling in her chest.</p>
<p>"I'm the Doctor." He answered, following her slowly down the stairs. "I've known you for hundreds of years. We've been through danger and adventures and boring days together. And this is when it begins."</p>
<p>She stared, so confused and scared. He was looking at her with those bright blue eyes and looking so sincere, so truthful it terrified her. The things he was saying just couldn't be true. She slowly backed away from him, shaking her head. "That's not possible!" She muttered, shaking her head as she backed straight into the console. She didn't have long to dwell on all this, because as soon as her hands fell against the cold metal to steady herself a horrible jolt ran up her spine, pain erupting in her head. She gave a cry, her knees buckling and she went crashing to the floor. Button was at her side immediately, nuzzling her and whining as she did after her nightmares. The Doctor followed, gathering her head in his hands and brushing her hair back from her face. "W-what's happening?" She cried, gasping as the pain spread from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet. It was unbearable and she had never felt anything like it.</p>
<p>"I'm so sorry, Ivy. I told you this is where it begins." He whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead and pulling her against him. Any other time she would have fought off such affectionate gestures from a complete stranger, but she couldn't bring herself to do much more than cry. "Listen. You have to listen." He said firmly, lifting her chin and meeting her eyes. "I might not have the same face when you wake up. I might be a different man, but it's still me. You'll always find me, no matter where you jump, okay?"</p>
<p>"I d-don't..." She gasped, but she couldn't finish the sentence because her vision began to blur before it went completely black.</p>
<p>~DW~</p>
<p>She knew it was a dream. She had no idea where it came from... most nights she didn't dream or had just nightmares. She wondered where it had come from.</p>
<p>She snuggled deeper into her soft sheets, burying her head into her pillow. She still had a head ache, probably where part of the dream had come from, but it wasn't too bad and if she got back to sleep, she was sure it would go away. She sighed, trying to get back to sleep, drifting further and further before-</p>
<p>"Are you awake or doing that fake sleep thing again?"</p>
<p>Her eyes shot open, revealing a thin, handsome man grinning at her. He wore a blue and brown pin striped suit with a nice tie and had a pair of black glasses perched on his nose. He had intelligent brown eyes that were giving her an amused look, a mess of freckles across his nose and brown hair that was gelled into a messy perfection. She gave a cry of alarm, whipping that grin right off his face as she scrambled off the bed and across the room. "Get out of my room!" She cried, making him scrabble up from the chair, alarmed and confused.</p>
<p>"Sorry! Didn't know you'd want your privacy all the sudden!" He said, holding his arms up and shaking his head. "You crash landed pretty good this time, just wanted to make sure you were- OI!"</p>
<p>He barely dodged the picture frame she had launched at him, causing it to hit against the wall and shatter. "Get out of my house!" She snapped, looking around her night stand for her phone but paused, realizing these tables weren't hers. Ivy stared, her heart hammering in her chest as she turned slowly, looking around the room and realizing none of these things were hers. It looked like her taste, with the soft purple walls, the desk full of crafts and the fluffy white sheets. A picture of her and Emma was on the table. "Wh-where am I?" She whispered, turning to glare at the man.</p>
<p>He tilted his head, clearly confused and hurt by her behavior and she had a flash of the sad face the Doctor had made at her when she told him she didn't know him. He must have done something to her and taken her here. "Where's the Doctor? What did that bastard do?"</p>
<p>"Ivy, calm down." The man said softly, which only made her anger flare. If there was one thing she hated, it was being told to calm down.</p>
<p>"Screw you! I just woke up in a strange bed with some guy creeping on me-"</p>
<p>"Creeping?!" He cried, his voice rising to a high octave, looking completely offended.</p>
<p>"Where did he go?" She demanded, grabbing some figurine off the desk next to her and hoping she looked threatening. "Tell me now or-"</p>
<p>"I'm the Doctor!" He said, making her hesitate before launching another random item at him. "And don't throw that! It was your birthday present. You're rather attached to it." She gave him a glare, glancing down at the small figurine to realize it was a little Golden Retriever. "Like Button." He said, slowly coming around the bed. She jerked away from him, but he only grabbed the figurine from her hand and set it back onto the desk.</p>
<p>"You're not the Doctor." She whispered, pressing herself against the wall. "He was all tall and gangly with a bow tie."</p>
<p>"A bow tie!" The man cried, making a disgusted face. "Please don't tell me I start wearing a bow tie."</p>
<p>"You can't be the Doctor!" She cried, glaring at the man. What the hell was happening? Two crazy men in one night. They had to be working together. "He looked completely different. Way more than any plastic surgery would do. There is no way!"</p>
<p>"No plastic surgery." The man stated, still giving a small smile despite her anger and yelling. "How far did you get with the other Doctor? Get to the time travel bit?"</p>
<p>She paused, trying to calm down enough to remember everything the other man had said. "He said... he said he knew me but I didn't know him because he traveled in time. That we met each other out of order. But that isn't even-"</p>
<p>"Did he get to the 'I'm a face changing alien' part?" The man interrupted, seemingly unfazed by her denial.</p>
<p>"Okay," She muttered, rubbing her face tiredly and giving a harsh laugh. "Time travel is one thing but- hey!"</p>
<p>He snatched one of her wrists, pulling her hand against his chest and pressing it just over his heart. She felt the familiar beating of a heart beneath his skin. "One," He whispered, before sliding hand just a couple inches in the other direction. "Two."</p>
<p>She jerked her hand away, clenching her fingers into a tight fist. "Th-that's..."</p>
<p>"Two hearts." He grinned, crossing his fingers over each in an 'x'. "I'm a Time Lord. We have this... genetic quirk. Instead of dying when we get sick or hurt, we regenerate. The Doctor you saw, sounds like a future version."</p>
<p>She sighed, falling back onto the bed and staring up at him. He was leaning back against the wall, his hands stuck in his pockets as he watched her process this. "You seriously expect me to believe this crap? Different faces, time travel. I mean," She gave a laugh, shaking her head. "Come on."</p>
<p>He took a deep breath, coming to sit next to her on the bed. She watched him cautiously, feeling uncomfortable with someone she was sure was half crazy so close to her. "Got those scars on your knee at 9 when Brian Vick, the Vick family's biological son, shoved you down a hill. Tumbled down, right into the giant rock at the bottom. Got right back up and punched him in the face." She glanced at him, looking slightly alarmed by the knowledge and she covered her left knee with her hand self-consciously. But he continued on. "You had 10 foster families growing up. At 16 you called it quits though, lived in your car and finished high school. With honors." He bumped her shoulder at that, seeming almost proud of her. But she stood angrily, pacing back and forth.</p>
<p>"You could stalk me and find that kind of crap out easy." She snapped, glaring at him.</p>
<p>"I know it because you told me. You trusted me with it." He said, leaning forward and watching her with those odd brown eyes. "Just like you told me the only family you ever were truly happy with were the Martin's. And you called Mrs. Martin 'mum' once."</p>
<p>Ivy froze, turning to stare at this strange man. She had only ever told one person that, one person who was very dead. There was no way he could know about that. Absolutely no way.</p>
<p>But he did.</p>
<p>He stood suddenly, clapping his hands. "Come with me." He said, nodding toward the door.</p>
<p>"Where?"</p>
<p>"One last way to prove it." He said, beckoning her forward. She hesitated, still unsure before he waved his hand for her to follow. "Five minutes. That's all I'm asking."</p>
<p>She bit her lip, finally following after him. Everything was already crazy and insane, what was the worst thing that could happen? He grinned, clearly pleased, and headed out of the room into a long, metal hallway. Lights lined the floor, casting the hallway in a warm, orange glow. They turned a couple times, passing several different rooms before they entered another large console room like the one from before. It was a bit different, with coral columns leading up toward the ceiling, darker lighting and metal grating on the floor instead of glass. It was still undeniably beautiful, but strange as well.</p>
<p>"Console room." He explained, glancing back at her as they headed toward the center. He began to flip levers and different switches, making an odd wheezing noise fill the room. "TARDIS. Time and Relative Dimensions in Space." He grinned, pulling down one last switch before the whole room shook and the wheezing came to a stop. She fell back a bit, steadying herself against one of the large coral pillars. He came around toward her, stopping just before her and holding out his hand. She stared for a moment, reluctantly putting her hand in his and he led her toward the door.</p>
<p>He let her hand go just before the door, turning back toward her one last time and giving her a wide smile. He then reached forward, jerking one of the doors open and revealing what waited outside.</p>
<p>Ivy froze, trying to come to terms with what was right in front of her. She knew, logically, what was before her, but her brain just wasn't putting it together. In her defense, it wasn't every day you saw the Earth drifting in the middle of space outside the door.</p>
<p>He came to stand just behind her just as she shivered against the breeze coming from outside and leaned close. "All of time and space."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Next Doctor: Part 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Earth was beautiful, all green and blue and white swirls, hanging in the middle of the black night of space. Stars burned and twinkled around it, surrounding the orb in beauty. It was the most breathtaking and scary thing she had ever seen in her life.</p><p>She had to be dreaming. This had to be some long, weird dream. She had some imagination on her...</p><p>"What do you think?"</p><p>Ivy glanced back at the skinny man who also claimed to be this Doctor, studying him for a moment before smiling shakily. If this was a dream, she might as well go along with it. "It's... amazing." She said, staring out at the space before her again. "Beautiful."</p><p>He grinned, clearly pleased. He shut the doors with a snap before turning back to her, looking completely excited. "Where do you want to go for your first time, then? Future or past? Earth or an alien planet?"</p><p>She blinked, her head spinning at how ridiculously excited he looked. He was like a child on Christmas. "Um... anywhere, I guess. I don't know."</p><p>He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful before he bound up toward the console. "Past." He said, looking toward her and nodding. "I know how you like history."</p><p>She walked back up toward the console, watching him flip levers and switches just like before and that wheezing filled the air. She looked down at the console herself, running her fingers over the golden metal. It was smooth and oddly warm and for some reason gave her a deep feeling of comfort that she didn't quite understand. Her fingers trailed up toward one of the odd buttons, glowing a bright purple.</p><p>"Don't touch that!" The Doctor cried, reaching out quickly and brushing her hand away. "Could tear a hole in the entirety of space."</p><p>She stared, shaking her head. "Why the hell do you have a button for that?"</p><p>"Of course there isn't a button for that." He scoffed, giving her a look. "But it's a delicate process. Have to know what you're doing. You learn eventually." He said, waving his hands at the whole of the console.</p><p>"Right." She muttered. He pressed one of the buttons that, thankfully, didn't blow a hole in anything. Instead, the wheezing stopped and he stopped in his moving about.</p><p>"The past is right out there." He explained, nodding toward the door.</p><p>He seemed to be waiting for her, so she walked up toward the doors before slowly opened one side. The first thing she saw was a stone wall, snow flurries swirling through the air and sending a chill into the large room. She stepped out cautiously, the Doctor following just after her with his hands shoved into his trench coat pockets. "This way." He said, nodding toward the left.</p><p>She followed after him, the sound of people bustling about in the distance. They turned a corner outside the tunnel and the noise became louder. Different little makeshift shops and carts were placed around the square while people in old 19th century clothes milled about. A couple of children ran past the two of them, squealing with laughter and the Doctor's eyes followed them, a giant, fascinated grin on his face.</p><p>God, this was a realistic dream. She had no idea where it had come from, but she was sure spinning quite the tale tonight. It might be odd, but she couldn't say she missed the nightmares that usually plagued her at night. Give her an odd, face changing, time travelling alien over those any time. And like he had said, she did enjoy history.</p><p>The Doctor looked just as fascinated by the Victorian Era life hurrying around them as she was. He spun around every once in a while, trying to take everything in. "Alright, then?" He asked, his hand coming to rest on the small of her back as they made their way through the area. Usually something like that would have made her squirm, but she didn't really see the harm in letting some dream alien lead her around. "I know this can be a bit overwhelming at first."</p><p>"It's... something else." She said, returning his smile as he paused, looking about the square with childlike wander. "You're awfully excited. I thought you did this all the time."</p><p>"But it's still a new place." He marveled, turning back to grin at her. "Every place is new. New people, new buildings, new snow. Amazing." He laughed, taking in the vendors yelling and the choir singing. "Oi, you there. What day is this?"</p><p>A little blonde boy in raggedy brown clothes looked up at them, before answering, "Christmas Eve, sir."</p><p>"Right." The Doctor said, still gazing about at the busy square. "What year?"</p><p>Ivy couldn't help but snort, staring over at the Doctor in disbelief. "You brought us here and don't know what year it is?"</p><p>"You thick or something?" The boy added, giving the Doctor a skeptical look. The Doctor gave an offended look to both of them, glaring.</p><p>"Happens all the time." He answered Ivy, before turning back to the boy. "And just answer the question."</p><p>"The year of our Lord, 1851."</p><p>"Right!" The Doctor nodded, turning away from him and gazing down at Ivy as they walked further into the square. "Nice year – bit dull."</p><p>"What happened to exciting?" Ivy asked, eyeing him. He opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted when someone shouted in the distance.</p><p>"DOCTOR!"</p><p>The Doctor looked up, searching the square with a shocked look on his face before someone shouted again. "DOCTOR!"</p><p>"Who, me?" The Doctor asked, looking down at Ivy curiously.</p><p>"Don't look at me." She muttered, shrugging. He chuckled before reaching out and grabbing her hand, taking off into the square. She gave a squeak of surprise at being pulled after him, sprinting to keep up with him as he bounded off toward the person calling out for the Doctor. They rounded the corner as someone yelled out again and found the source of the screaming to be a young black woman with wild curls and a low cut dress that couldn't have been too warm in this weather. The Doctor let Ivy's arm fall to grab the woman, pulling her away from the large metal door that was rattling in front of them.</p><p>"Stand back." He warned, pushing the woman away. "What have we got here?" The door rattled loudly again, a muffled growling coming from behind the metal. "Oooh. Okay, I've got it, and whatever's behind that door. I think you should get out of here." The Doctor ordered, turning to give the woman a stern look. She didn't seem interested in what he had to say, because she gave him a very incredulous look before shouting out again.</p><p>"Doctor!" She cried, looking past Ivy down the street as though he wasn't standing right in front of her. Ivy raised an eyebrow, watching the Doctor give the woman a look of pure confusion.</p><p>"No, no, I'm standing right here. Hello."</p><p>The woman glared at him now, scoffing. "Don't be so stupid. Who are you?"</p><p>"I'm the Doctor." The Doctor insisted, giving Ivy an odd look. She shrugged back, just as confused by the situation as he was.</p><p>"Doctor who?" The woman asked.</p><p>"Just the Doctor."</p><p>The woman huffed, clearly displeased with this answer. "Well, there can't be two of you!"</p><p>Ivy laughed as the Doctor turned toward her, giving her a shocked look. "You'd be surprised." Ivy muttered, just as a tall, dark haired man in period clothing blew past her. She gasped, quickly getting out of his way as he skidded to a stop in front of the woman and the Doctor.</p><p>"Where the hell have you been?!" The woman snapped, glaring at him as he pushed the two of them back.</p><p>"Right then. Stand back. What have you got here, then?" He asked in a booming voice, looking at the doors with a sort of excitement despite the ominous growling and banging.</p><p>"Hold on. Hold on." The Doctor cried, raising an eyebrow. "Who are you?"</p><p>"I'm the Doctor, simply "the Doctor". The one, the only," He winked, grinning back at the Doctor, Ivy and the woman. "And the Best. Rosita, give me the sonic screwdriver." He waved his hand and the woman, Rosita, reached around in her pockets for something before pulling out a screw driver and handing it over.</p><p>"The what?" Her Doctor asked, staring as she handed the tool over. Ivy moved closer to the Doctor she had come with, staring in confusion at the other.</p><p>"He's you?" She asked, but her Doctor was far too preoccupied to answer. It seemed even he didn't know what was going on and was equally as confused by this as she was.</p><p>"Now, quickly, back to the TARDIS." The other Doctor ordered.</p><p>"Back to the what?!"</p><p>The other Doctor didn't answer, just shoved the other back with a grand sweep of his hand. "If you could stand back, sir, this is a job for a Time Lord!" He declared, a bit dramatically, before squaring off in front of the door.</p><p>"Job for a what Lord?" Her Doctor asked, but there was little time to dwell on the question because the door flew open, revealing an odd creature. It had a metal head, looking almost mechanical and robotic but it's body was all fur. Ivy stared, never having seen anything like it. She was trying to study it before her Doctor shoved her behind him and she huffed.</p><p>"Hey-"</p><p>"Well, that's new!" The other Doctor declared, grinning as the creature gave a menacing growl. Ivy backed away toward Rosita, staring at the thing with wide eyes. She seriously was going to have to write this stuff down in the morning, because it was blowing her mind. Maybe she could get a book deal out of it.</p><p>Both the Doctor's extended their devices with a flourish and declared in perfect unison, "Allons-y!"</p><p>"I've been hunting this beast for a good fort night." The other Doctor cried, shoving her Doctor away. "Now, step back, sir!"</p><p>The creature took a great leap, launching itself above their heads and onto the brick of the building behind them. It was at least half way up the building, clawing it's way up quickly.</p><p>"What the hell is it?" Ivy asked, looking at the two Doctors, who were just as fascinated by the thing as she was.</p><p>"Some sort of primitive conversion, like they took the brain of a cat or a dog." Her Doctor muttered, glancing up at the thing with wide eyes.</p><p>"Well, talking's all very well." The other Doctor mocked, looking back at the other women. "Rosita."</p><p>She came to his side, carrying a giant mass of rope. The Doctor took it, letting some of it go before lifting the other end and twirling it in the air. "Now, watch and learn!" He cried, twirling the lasso a couple more times before throwing it and landing it right around the creature's neck. It gave an angry growl, tugging back at the rope as the Doctor wrapped it around his arm and gave a cry of excitement. "Excellent! Now, then, let's pull this timorous beastie down to earth."</p><p>"I don't think-" Ivy started, shaking her head just as the creature continued it's way up the building, yanking the Doctor with him.</p><p>"Aah!" He yelled, fighting against the pull but his feet just skidded across the snow covered ground uselessly.</p><p>"Or not." Her Doctor muttered watching as the other was starting to get pulled straight up the building. Ivy's heart leapt into her chest and she made a scramble to grab the rope too, gasping when it jerked her forward and she banged right into the wall.</p><p>"Ivy!" Her Doctor gasped in alarm, quickly coming forward and grabbing a bit of rope as well. Ivy tried to get a bit of traction, but her arm had gotten caught in the mess and all too quickly she was yanked up the building along with the other Doctor and her own. He bumped against her as she screamed, the rope burning against her arm, causing a flare of pain. How...?</p><p>"You idiots!" Rosita cried at the bottom.</p><p>Ivy screamed as they were pulled further and further up, her arm slipping further. "Hold on tight!" Her Doctor ordered, his own arm coming to wrap around her before grabbing the rope again.</p><p>"This shouldn't hurt!" She cried, her arm burning and chaffing against the rope. The Doctor gave her an odd look, opening his mouth to say something but the other Doctor interrupted.</p><p>"Perhaps if you could pull..."</p><p>Her Doctor made a noise of irritation, staring down at the ground with wide eyes. "We are pulling! In this position, we couldn't not pull, could we?" He snapped, his legs flailing against her. She watched as the creature came to a window on the top floor of the building, throwing itself inside. The thing came to a stop inside the building, leaving them hanging below.</p><p>"Then I suggest you both let go." The Doctor above ordered, sparing a glance down at them.</p><p>"I'm not letting you out of my sight, Doctor." Her Doctor said, shaking his head. "Don't you recognize me?"</p><p>"No, should I?" The other asked, looking down at them again. "Have we met?"</p><p>Ivy made an angry noise, trying to grip the rope as hard as she could and not to look down. Her heart was beating wilding in her chest and she felt a flare of anger at the two of them. "Who cares?!" She screamed, her voice rising to a hysterical level. "We're hanging from the side of a BUILDING!"</p><p>"The lady is right!" The other Doctor called back. "This is hardly a time for me to go through my social calendaaahhhhh!"</p><p>They were jerked upward again and Ivy gave another scream of alarm. The Doctor pulled her closer, pressing her face into the warmth of his brown jacket. After a moment though and with several bangs and bumps, she was launched through a window and she landed on the floor of the building. She cried out again, this time from the pain of landing right on her ass and then from being yanked across the floor by the rope. The Doctor was just behind her, scrambling to get some traction and stop the creature but it was too quick and their arms were too caught up in the rope.</p><p>"It's gonna jump!" The Doctor behind her screamed and she looked forward, seeing the creature making a mad dash for the other window.</p><p>She tried to get her arm undone, the rope digging deeper into her flesh as she struggled. "We're going to fall!" The other Doctor screamed, making Ivy try even harder. Just as the creature was about to send them flying out the window, Rosita came out of nowhere and swung an ax down on the rope. Ivy groaned as she was sent tumbling forward and with a loud 'omph', the Doctor landed right on top of her. For such a skinny man, he certainly felt like he weighed enough.</p><p>"Get off!" She cried, shoving at him. He rolled off her with a groan, rubbing his back in pain. Ivy was in pain herself, something that scared and alarmed her. What kind of dream was this? It was one thing to look real, but it couldn't and shouldn't feel real as well.</p><p>The Doctor's were rising, both rubbing various body parts in pain before they both promptly burst into a fit of laughter and hugged each other. Ivy pulled herself up into a sitting position, staring at the two of them in angry shock. "Seriously?" She snapped, shaking her head and slowly pulling herself up. Her whole body ached and if she wasn't completely sure it was a dream, she knew she would have been bruised in the morning. But it was a dream, even if her ass hurt like hell and her ribs felt like they were broken and her arm was an angry red from rope burn. It had to be.</p><p>"Alright?" Her Doctor asked, still looking completely amused by the whole situation.</p><p>"Fine. Just great." She snapped, dusting herself off and glaring at him.</p><p>"Ohhh," He teased, looking her over a bit. "Forgot how testy you were when you were young."</p><p>She looked up, giving him a deadly glare. She was about to retort, but the other Doctor gave a whoop of excitement.</p><p>"That was brilliant!" The other Doctor hooted, earning an equally angry glare from Rosita. At least the other women realized how horrible that situation was. The four of them made their way back downstairs, the two Doctors still clearly reveling in what had just happened.</p><p>"Well, I'm glad you think it's so funny!" Rosita snapped from the front. "You're mad – both of you! You could have got killed!"</p><p>"Thank you!" Ivy snapped, glaring at the two of them as they continued to chuckle.</p><p>"But, evidently, we did not." The other Doctor smiled. "Oh, I should introduce Rosita..." He walked around the grate of fire they had stopped before to come to the irritated women's side. "My faithful companion, always telling me off."</p><p>"Well, they do, don't they?" Her Doctor laughed, giving Ivy a very pointed nod. She glared right back, smacking his arm rather hard in retaliation. He threw her a scandalized look, rubbing the spot before turning his attention back at the other two. "This is Ivy. Rosita." He muttered, testing the name out. "Good name. Hello, Rosita."</p><p>Rosita gave him a scoff, clearly still displeased with the two of them before turning toward the other Doctor. "Now I'll have to go and dismantle the traps." She grumbled, throwing her hands up in displeasure. "All that for nothing. And we've only got 20 minutes till the funeral, don't forget!" She turned on her heel, lifting her skirts and stomping away through the snow. The stayed around the grate, rolling his shoulder with a look of pain and seem unaffected by the screaming women.</p><p>"Funeral?" Her Doctor asked curiously, glancing over at the other Doctor.</p><p>"Oh, long story. Not my own, not yet." He pulled at his shirt, doubling over with a groan. "Oh. Ohh, I'm not as young as I was."</p><p>"Well," Her Doctor muttered. "Not as young as you were when you were me."</p><p>The other Doctor looked up at him, his brow furrowed a bit. "When I was who?"</p><p>Her Doctor gave a shocked smile, shaking his head in disbelief. "You really don't recognize me? Or even Ivy?"</p><p>The other Doctor stood, putting his hands on his hips and shook his head. He glanced between the two of them blankly, his blue eyes not even showing a glint of recognition. Ivy wasn't sure what the protocol was when the Doctor changed his face, but from her Doctor's reaction, she was sure he was supposed to remember the old one. But this one clearly didn't have a clue who they were and even affirmed as much. Her Doctor stepped closer, staring at the other with a bright smile despite the lack of recognition.</p><p>"But you're the Doctor... the next Doctor or the next but one... a future Doctor, anyway." He muttered, looking him up and down. He glanced back toward Ivy, giving her a curious look. "Not the one you saw before, right?"</p><p>She shook her head, rubbing her arms against the cold and the rope burn. "No. He was all gangly and pale with floppy hair."</p><p>Her Doctor gave a frown, looking displeased by this description. "Floppy hair? And a bow tie?" He groaned, shaking his head. He turned back toward the other Doctor, giving him an alarmed look suddenly. "No, no. Don't tell me how it happened. Although, I hope I don't just trip over a brick. That'd be embarrassing. Then again, painless." He muttered, looking up and he contemplated this. Ivy couldn't help but roll her eyes as he started rambling. "Depends on the brick, I suppose."</p><p>"You're gabbling, sir." The other Doctor pointed out, looking a bit amused. "Now, might I ask, who are you two exactly?" He asked, looking between the two of them with interest.</p><p>"No, I'm uh... I'm just Smith. John Smith." He stuttered, earning a snort from Ivy. John Smith? That was the best he could come up with? "And this is Ivy. But we've heard all about you, Doctor." He smiled, leaning closer to the other one excitedly. "Bit of a legend. If I say so myself."</p><p>"Cocky." Ivy muttered under her breath, earning an elbow to the ribs from her Doctor. She huffed, rubbing the spot and glaring at him. He gave her a warning look though and she rolled her eyes and shut up.</p><p>"Modesty permits me from agreeing with you, sir." The other Doctor said, grinning as he warmed his hands over the fire. "But yes, yes, I am."</p><p>"Dear God." She muttered, folding her arms and shaking her head. Her Doctor gave her another glare, but she glared right back this time, shrugging.</p><p>"A legend with certain memories missing... am I right?" Her Doctor asked slowly, giving the other one a cautious look.</p><p>The other Doctor looked up, clearly alarmed. "How do you know that?"</p><p>"You've forgotten us." He said simply, watching the other Doctor curiously.</p><p>"Great swathes of my life have been stolen away." The other Doctor said sadly, his deep voice filling with worry. "When I turn my mind to the past... there's nothing."</p><p>"Going how far back?" Her Doctor asked.</p><p>"Since the cybermen, masters of that hellish wall-scuttler and old enemies of mine, now at work in London Town." He was getting riled up now, scanning the streets as if that furry thing would be back any second. "You won't believe this, Mr. Smith, but they are creatures from another world."</p><p>"Really? Wow." Her Doctor said, his voice filled with fake shock. He glanced over at Ivy, elbowing her when she didn't look sufficiently surprised.</p><p>"Ow." She muttered, glaring at him. "I mean... that's... crazy."</p><p>The other Doctor didn't seem to care or didn't notice their lack of shock though, because he continued on. "It's said they fell onto London out of the sky in a blaze of light." He explained dramatically. His face fell suddenly, a deep sadness filling them as he looked toward the flames. "And they found me. Something was taken. And something was lost." He stared, still far away before he back up toward her Doctor and Ivy with wide eyes. "What was I like... in the past?"</p><p>Her Doctor turned squirrely all of a sudden, shaking his head. "We- I-I don't think I should say, sorry." He stuttered, shrugging. "Got to be careful with memory loss. One wrong word..."</p><p>"It's strange though." The other Doctor muttered, his blue eyes flicking between them. "I talk of Cybermen from the stars... and you two don't blink."</p><p>"Ah!" Her Doctor said excitedly. "'Don't blink", remember that?" But the other Doctor stared back blankly. "'Whatever you do, don't blink?' With the blinking and the statues and Sally and the angels... no?"</p><p>The other Doctor showed a complete lack of recognition though, shaking his head as he looked her Doctor up and down. "You're a very odd man."</p><p>"Mm, I still am." Her Doctor muttered, sighing. "Something's wrong here-"</p><p>"Oh!" The other Doctor cried, snapping his fingers. "The funeral. The funeral's at 2:00! It's been a pleasure Mr. and Mrs. Smith!" He cried, giving them a bow. Ivy blinked in shock, to caught off guard to correct him. "Don't breathe a word of it."</p><p>He started to head off, but her Doctor called after him. "Although, can we come with you?"</p><p>Ivy's stomach twisted in her stomach, the thought of going to a funeral... even in a dream, terrified her. "No!" She snapped quickly.</p><p>"She's right." The other Doctor said, pointing at her. "It's far too dangerous. Rest assured I shall keep this city safe." He started off again, but stopped and turned toward them one last time. "Oh, and uh... Merry Christmas, Smith's."</p><p>"Merry Christmas, Doctor." Her's grinned, watching him go with a small smile. "Ha," He laughed, shaking his head as he began to head back out of the alley. "Would you believe that?"</p><p>"So he's another you?" She asked, following after him.</p><p>"Seems so." He said, shaking his head and running a hand through his hair. "Better help him though."</p><p>"Get his memories back?"</p><p>"That and in general. Something is... off." He muttered, his brow furrowing as they headed into the crowded street area in the same direction as the other Doctor. "Don't know what, but we need to find out."</p><p>She stopped in her tracks, causing him to look back at her in shock. "I'm not going to that funeral." She insisted, shaking her head and backing away from him. She didn't care if this was a dream, she wasn't going.</p><p>"Oh, no!" The Doctor cried, quickly coming to her side. He gave her a sympathetic look, gently rubbing her arm. "No. Of course not. I wouldn't make you do that, Ivy. I know... I know what they do to you."</p><p>She nodded slowly, pulling away from his caring grasp uncomfortably. He looked a bit hurt by the rejection, but quickly smoothed his features out. "Then what are we doing?" She asked, trying to change the subject as fast as she could. Even if he was some dream, she didn't want to get into all that.</p><p>"Making sure I don't get into too much trouble."</p><p>He steered her down some streets and within a few minutes they caught up with the other Doctor just as he sent Rosita away. The other women looked angry, but did as she was told dutifully. The other Doctor began to head toward a rather large house and her Doctor quickly grabbed onto her arm again, yanking her toward another door leading to the same house. He made quick work of opening the door with some sort of device that glowed blue at the end and made a sort of whirring noise.</p><p>"What is that?" She asked as he pulled her inside and slipped the device back into his pocket.</p><p>"Sonic screwdriver." He explained, but offered no other explanation. He quickly weaved around the items of the house to get to the door that the other Doctor was heading too. He jerked it open, revealing said Doctor with a surprised look on his face. "Hello!"</p><p>"How did you two get in?" He asked.</p><p>"Oh, front door. I'm good at doors." He looked down at something in the Doctor's hand curiously. "Um, do you mind my asking – is that your sonic screwdriver?"</p><p>The other Doctor smiled, holding up a very different looking device than the one her Doctor had just had out. If she wasn't mistaken, it looked like a normal screw driver. "Yeah. I'd be lost without it."</p><p>Her Doctor just stared at it, looking a bit unimpressed. "That's a screwdriver." He stated, looking at the wooden tool blankly. "How's it sonic?"</p><p>"Well, uh..." The other Doctor muttered, his brow furrowing a bit. "it makes a noise." He tapped the wooden end on the door frame, making a knocking noise. "Now, since we're acting like common burglars, I suggest we get out of plain view."</p><p>He brushed past the two of them, heading inside the large house as her Doctor shut the door behind him. "Is that what you're talking about something being 'off'?" Ivy asked quietly, looking up at her Doctor. He nodded, still staring after the other Doctor with a worried look on his face.</p><p>"This investigation of yours – what's it all about?"</p><p>"It started with a murder." The other Doctor said, getting to a desk and beginning to riffle through the drawers. Her Doctor came to stand next to him, nodding.</p><p>"Oh, good." Her Doctor mumbled, earning a look from the other Doctor. "Oh, I mean bad. Whose was it?" He quickly backtracked.</p><p>"Mr. Jackson Lake, a teacher of mathematics from Sussex. He came to London three weeks ago and died a terrible death." He snapped the drawer shut, giving them both a grave look.</p><p>"The Cyberthings?" Ivy asked, glancing curiously around the house.</p><p>"Cybermen." Her Doctor corrected.</p><p>"Hard to say. The body was never found." The other answered, glancing back up at them when he was done riffling through another drawer. "But then it stared – more secret murders, then abductions. Children... stolen away in silence."</p><p>Ivy's stomach twisted again at the mention of children and she closed her eyes briefly. Just a dream, just a weird alien murder mystery dream... she reminded herself before her thoughts took her away to somewhere bad.</p><p>The Doctor threw down something on the desk loudly, drawing her out of her thoughts. He hurried over to the small table with books on it, flipping through a small one. "So who's house is this?" Her Doctor asked, watching the other run about the room.</p><p>"The latest murder- the Reverend Aubrey Fairchild, found with burns to his forehead, like some advanced form of electrocution."</p><p>"And who was he? Was he important?" Her Doctor asked, folding his arms and staring at the other in curiosity. The other looked up, giving him a look.</p><p>"You ask a lot of questions."</p><p>"We're your companions." Her Doctor shrugged, as if this explained everything. The other Doctor took it though, going back to his looking.</p><p>"The Reverend was the pillar of the community, a member of many Parish boards, and a keen advocate of children's charities."</p><p>"Children again." She muttered, shaking her head.</p><p>"But why would the cybermen want him dead?" Her Doctor asked quickly, watching as the other Doctor was walked toward him slowly, staring. "And what's his connection to the first death, this Jackson Lake?"</p><p>"It's funny." The other Doctor muttered, staring between the two of them. "I've told you everything, as though you engendered some sort of... trust." He looked them over carefully, his eyes lighting up a bit in what Ivy could only guess was recognition. "You two seem so familiar. I know your faces... but how?"</p><p>"I wonder..." Her Doctor said slowly, glancing down at the other Doctor's jacket. "I can't help but noticing you're wearing a fob watch."</p><p>Ivy glanced down just as the other Doctor did, staring at the small metal watch as well. "Is it important?"</p><p>"Legend has it that it has that the memories of a Time Lord can be contained within a watch." He whispered, coming closer to the Doctor. He lifted his hand, opening his palm. "Do you mind?"</p><p>Ivy watched as the Doctor handed it over to hers quickly, looking torn between excitement and fear. "It's said... that if it's opened..." He paused, anticipation building in the three of them before he pressed down and the watch snapped open to reveal...</p><p>A broken inside that flopped to the floor rather anticlimactically. She stared down at it, rolling her eyes and sighing.</p><p>"Ohhh. Maybe not." Her Doctor muttered, staring down at the broken piece with the other Doctor in disappointment.</p><p>"It's more for decoration." The other Doctor mumbled, picking up the piece.</p><p>"Yeah." Her Doctor sighed.</p><p>"Anyway," Ivy interrupted, trying to bring them back around to the matter at hand."Alien infiltration."</p><p>"Yes." The other Doctor cried, heading off toward another table to look for more information. "Look for anything different, possibly metal, anything that doesn't seem to belong." She supposed she should help a bit, so she turned, glancing around the bookcase for what he had described while her Doctor went in the opposite direction. The other Doctor was still prattling on for what they should look for behind her when she heard the same odd buzzing from before. She glanced back, catching sight of her Doctor waving the small device he had called his sonic screwdriver.</p><p>The other Doctor heard it too, because he stopped his searching abruptly. "Shh!" He ordered, just as her Doctor slid the sonic back inside his jacket. "What was that noise?"</p><p>Her Doctor turned, giving the other Doctor an innocent look. "Oh, it's just me... whistling." He muttered, before imitating the noise of the sonic in a whistle. She raised an eyebrow, not understanding why he was hiding his sonic... especially when it could possibly help them. The other Doctor gave him a frustrated look before turning back toward his area. "I wonder what's in here, though." Her Doctor said, pointing toward the desk he had been scanning.</p><p>The other Doctor joined him in front of it, watching as her Doctor opened it. "Ah." Her Doctor said, lifting some sort of metal tube up to examine. Ivy moved forward, trying to get a better look at it too. It was just a metal tube and sure didn't look alien to Ivy. But her Doctor certainly seemed excited by it. "Different and metal. You were right."</p><p>"That's alien?" Ivy muttered, raising an eyebrow and studying it. "What is it?"</p><p>"Infostamps." Her Doctor said, but quickly realized he seemed to be too confident because he looked over at the other Doctor and began to backtrack. "I mean, at a guess. Uh, if I were you, I'd say they worked something like this." He lifted it, glancing at it before pressing a button at the end. It lit up and she turned with the Doctor to stare at some sort of picture show flashing before her on the back wall. "See? Compressed information, tons of it."</p><p>Different images flashed before her, looking like old drawing of buildings and, if she wasn't mistaken there was even an image of Shakespeare. "Looks like parts of London." She muttered, recognizing a couple of other buildings. Her Doctor nodded, putting on a pair of glasses to study them as well.</p><p>"That is the history of London, 1066 to the present day." He said, continuing to watch the images flash by with fascination. "This is like a disk, a cyberdisk." He explained, looking at it curiously. "But why would the cybermen need something so simple?"</p><p>Her Doctor seemed to be too caught up in his own ramblings to notice the other Doctor fall into a chair next to them, a look of horror and pain on his face. "Um... Doctor?" She asked, turning toward him. Neither of them seemed to hear her, because the other Doctor continued staring down at the infostamp in his hand with that pained look and her Doctor was still rambling. "Doctor? Are you alright?" She asked again, shifting awkwardly next to him. She wasn't sure how to comfort him, especially when she barely knew him. Her Doctor seemed to finally notice something was wrong because he had stopped talking behind her and came to stand next to them.</p><p>"I'm fine." The other Doctor said hoarsely, clearly lying.</p><p>"No," Her Doctor whispered, coming to stand before him, kneeling down in front of him. "What's wrong?"</p><p>"I've seen one of these before." He mumbled, looking down at the infostamp with a faraway look. "I was holding... this device the night I lost my mind... the night I regenerated." He looked up at the two of them, his voice wavering and tears in his eyes. "The cybermen, they made me change – my mind, my face, my whole self." He cried, shaking his head sadly. Suddenly he reached out, his hand coming to rest on the side of her Doctors face, a desperate look on his face. "And you were there." He stared at her Doctor, his eyes crazed before he tore his gaze away to look at Ivy. "And you. Who are you two?" He growled, looking back at her Doctor.</p><p>"Friends... I swear." Her Doctor whispered, staring at the other Doctor with a worried expression. He looked over at Ivy, as if to look for conformation and she found herself nodding and giving him a shaky smile.</p><p>The other Doctor seemed to break, because his lip quivered again and his hand fell from her Doctors face. Ivy couldn't help but feel sorry for the man, even if he was just a figment of her imagination. He just looked so sad, so pathetic that she couldn't help it. "Then I beg you both, help me." He begged.</p><p>"Ah." Her Doctor whispered. "Two words we never refuse." He gave the other Doctor a brief smile and then popped up with a new excitement. The other Doctor still sat, looking suddenly extremely exhausted. Ivy couldn't help but reach out too, squeezing his shoulder briefly. "But it's not a conversation for a dead man's house." Her Doctor stated, tearing his glasses off. "This is a conversation for the TARDIS. Your, uh, TARDIS."</p><p>He was growing more excited, sprinting off into the house toward a closet door. He was still talking, but Ivy stared down at the Doctor before her worriedly. "Are you okay?" She whispered, growing more concerned by his lack of response.</p><p>He glanced at her, about to open his mouth before her Doctor interrupted a bit hurriedly. "I think we should run." She turned to ask what was wrong before she saw the white door fly off the hinges, revealing some sort of odd, mechanical man. She gaped, staring in fascination. Where was she coming up with this crap? Sure, she liked a bit of Sci-Fi here and there, but she didn't understand where she was getting this from.</p><p>"Wow..." She muttered, just as her Doctor came forward and grabbed the two of them and pulled them away.</p><p>"Delete!" The robot cried in a mechanical voice, making Ivy snort in amusement.</p><p>"Holy shit, this is getting ridiculous." She laughed, just as the Doctor shoved her and the other one threw a door, slamming it shut and sonicing it close. He whipped around, giving her a confused, alarmed look.</p><p>"What are you on about?" He asked, studying her for a moment before the robot on the other side slammed against the door. Her Doctor made a noise of alarm, not waiting for an answer before he grabbed them again, heading off down the hallway.</p><p>But that mechanical voice greeted them at the end, a robot cutting them off. "The Doctor will be deleted." It droned, stomping toward them. Her Doctor nearly yanked her arm off as he headed back down the hallway. But the other robot had kicked the door down and was heading toward them as well.</p><p>"Delete!" It cried, heading toward them as well. Ivy tried to get a better look at it, staring at the blank eye holes, the odd tubes around its head and the humanoid shaped body with wires lying just underneath.</p><p>"What are you doing?!" Her Doctor cried, grabbing her arm and jerking her away from the thing and shoving her up the stairs with the other Doctor. "Up stairs. Can't lead them outside." He ordered before he turned, grabbing something out of the umbrella holder next to the stairs. He fumbled with a sword before promptly dropping it. He quickly recovered though, if that's what you wanted to call it, by grabbing an umbrella out of the holder and opening it. He quickly seemed to realize how useless an item this was against a robot and promptly threw it away before looking around in alarm.</p><p>"Swords!" She cried, pointing frantically at the wall. He turned, giving a short laugh before turning around and grabbing it off the wall and flourishing it.</p><p>"Ah. I'm a dab hand with a cutlass." He snapped, swinging the thing at the robots. "You don't want to come near me when I've got one of these." He looked utterly ridiculous and the robots clearly weren't threatened in the slightest because they continued forward. "This is your last warning! No?"</p><p>"Clearly they aren't having it!" Ivy snapped, wishing he would hurry up the stairs. This may not be real and even if he was a bit annoying and cocky, she would rather not see him die.</p><p>"Okay," The Doctor breathed, waving the sword one last time. "This is really your last warning. Okay, I give up." He whipped around, finally heading up the steps toward her and the other Doctor.</p><p>"Delete!" The thing cried again.</p><p>Her Doctor turned halfway up the stairs, trying to reason with the robot. "Listen to me properly!" He cried, walking backwards up the steps as the things followed after him.</p><p>"Doctor, come on!" She snapped, shaking her head, panic replacing her fascination.</p><p>"Whatever you're doing stuck in 1851, I can help!" He tried to reason, but the thing slashed at him, which he quickly blocked with the sword. A spark actually flashed, causing her heart to speed up. "I mean it – I'm the only person in the world who can help you!"</p><p>"God! Just come on!" She cried, getting pulled further up the stairs by the other Doctor.</p><p>"Listen to me!"</p><p>"Delete!"</p><p>The thing smashed it's hand down again, but the Doctor was able to stop it with his sword once more. They fought, trying to overpower the other. "I'm the Doctor." He growled, his arms shaking from the weight. "You need me. Check your memory banks. My name's the Doctor! Leave these two alone! The Doctor is me!"</p><p>Ivy gave a cry of irritation, watching as the Doctor's hand shook again and he was pushed further into the corner. She quickly rushed forward, far more daring than she would have been in real life, but it helped that she knew she couldn't get hurt. She was about shove the thing back and grab the Doctor, but to her great shock the robots arm shot out far more quickly then she could have imagined, and she saw stars burst in her vision and pain spread across the side of her head. She fell back, her head spinning and her mind racing.</p><p>It had hit her. And it had hurt.</p><p>Bad.</p><p>"Now you've done it!" Her Doctor growled, before kicking out and sending the robots flying back and tumbling down the stairs. They didn't stop for long though and Ivy was still in shock from the pain. Her Doctor grabbed her arm, shoving her up the stairs quickly. "Go, Ivy! Go!"</p><p>"That hurt." She whispered, frozen and staring at the thing. She put her fingers to her temple where she had been hit, feeling something warm and when she looked at her hand, there was red. She was bleeding. Real blood. Her head was still spinning and she felt a different kind of panic filling her. This couldn't be real. This couldn't be.</p><p>Her Doctor whipped around, slashing at the metal men and saving her from taking another hit. "Take her!" He ordered the other Doctor. He seemed just as shocked, but quickly grabbed her arm and hulled her up the stairs and further away.</p><p>"You need me alive. You need the Doctor and that's me!" Her Doctor cried, fighting again with the robots. He got distracted again though, staring down at the infostamp with that faraway look again. Her Doctor fell back to the floor, the robots looming over him before a beam struck them. She whipped around, finding the other Doctor and the infostamp as the source of the fatal blow. The two robots began to spasm, making alarming noises before falling to their knees and their heads exploded.</p><p>Her Doctor was on his feet, beaming at the two headless robots before him. "Infostamp with a cyclo-steinham core!" He cried, staring in fascination.</p><p>Ivy fell into a nearby chair, her heart beating so loud it drowned out his rambling and talking to the other Doctor in the background. She stared as a single red drop fell onto her shaking hands, spreading and then slowly slipping down the side of her finger. "I'm bleeding." She whispered, lifting her shaking hand to stare at the red. "I'm bleeding." She repeated, her voice rising.</p><p>"Ivy!" Her Doctor cried, quickly coming to kneel in front of her with a worried look. "What were you thinking?" He muttered, whipping out his sonic screw driver and waving it all around her injured head. She looked up, meeting his deep brown eyes.</p><p>"I'm bleeding." She gasped, holding up her shaking hand as proof.</p><p>"She's growing hysterical." The other Doctor muttered, frowning at her. "This was no job for a women."</p><p>"I'll show you hysterical-" She started, but her Doctor quickly cut her off.</p><p>"I can take care of the bleeding." He said hastily, shaking his head and sighing. "Trying to take on cybermen..." He scoffed, giving her a stern look. "Testy and impulsive. Young you is exhausting."</p><p>"I'm bleeding!" She cried, shoving her hand in his face. He blinked, clearly not understanding why this was so alarming.</p><p>"I can heal it up-"</p><p>"You don't bleed in dreams!"</p><p>He stopped, his hand dropping to his side as he stared at her with even more worry. "Ivy... you thought this was a dream?" He asked slowly.</p><p>"Of course! It's 1851 and there are robots and a face changing alien!" She cried, wiping the blood away on her jeans hastily. The Doctor continued to stare at her worriedly, watching her scrub at her hand.</p><p>"Ivy." He said, his voice annoyingly calm. "Ivy, calm down." He reached out, grabbing her hand and stopping her. She immediately jerked away, but she stilled her hands, meeting his eyes again shakily.</p><p>"This is real." She whispered, earning an affirmative nod from him. Her eyes filled with tears, but she tried to blink them away. She hated crying and she certainly wasn't going to do it in front of these strangers. She stared down at her Doctor, waiting for some kind of indication that she was wrong or to even wake up, but it didn't happen.</p><p>"Yes." He whispered, shattering her. "It's very real."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Next Doctor: Part 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Disclaimer: I own nothing of Who, sadly.</p><p>"Ivy!"</p><p>God, why hadn't she paid more attention? Now she was stuck in the middle of 18th century London, completely lost.</p><p>"Ivy, stop!"</p><p>She looked up, glancing at the nearest building. It looked familiar. She headed down the alley way closest to it, passing by a couple of people who gave her disheveled, bloodied state an odd look. The Doctor finally caught up with her though, grabbing her arm and jerking her to a stop. "Don't touch me!" She growled, jerking away from him. He sighed, running a hand through his gelled hair in frustration.</p><p>"Ivy, just-"</p><p>"Take me back." She snapped, glaring at him. "Take me back, now."</p><p>The Doctor closed his eyes, rubbing his face tiredly. "I will-"</p><p>"No!" She cried, causing a couple of people to look at the two of them oddly. A women scoffed at them, shaking her head as they brushed past. "I didn't ask for this. I didn't want this. I have a life. A normal, stupid life and I don't want... this!" She waved her hand at the old London buildings. "I want to go home."</p><p>He stared down at her, those odd brown eyes filled with what looked like pain. She didn't care though. She just wanted to go home. "I'll take you home." He said slowly, shoving his hands into brown coat. "After we figure this out, I'll take you home. I swear."</p><p>She shook her head, about to argue but he cut her off quickly, taking a step closer. "These people are in danger, Ivy. The cybermen want nothing more than to convert humans... that means killing them. And that man..." He glanced back where they came from, where they had left the other Doctor. "That man isn't a future me. I'm becoming more and more sure of it. I think he's confused and needs our help as well."</p><p>"I don't care!" She snapped, backing away. Because if this was real, she really did feel bad for those who had been murdered by those creatures and the other Doctor. But she couldn't do it. She couldn't get caught up in this. She wanted her crappy apartment and her job and her dog back.</p><p>"Yes you do." The Doctor said softly, staring down at her with a knowing look in his eye.</p><p>"No," she hissed. "I don't." She turned on her heel again, looking about as she began to head back toward the TARDIS.</p><p>"Not even about the children?"</p><p>She stopped, her stomach twisting painfully. She reluctantly turned, folding her arms and staring at him. "What are you talking about?"</p><p>He walked toward her again, a grave look on his handsome face. "The man who was murdered, he worked with children. And the other Doctor said it himself... children were taken as well."</p><p>She pictured it, poor children being taken by those horrible things and she felt a flare of pain in her chest. Her anger and resolve were wearing down at the very thought. If there was one thing she couldn't stand, it was innocent children suffering. "W-what am I supposed to do?" She muttered, shifting angrily as the snow blew about them. "I'm not... some brilliant alien with a fancy screwdriver. I'm just some human girl. I'm no one."</p><p>The Doctor smiled though, shaking his head. "Oooh, that's not true. You humans, you're always brilliant." He paused, giving her a slightly unsure look before adding, "Especially you."</p><p>She shifted uncomfortably, not liking the way he was looking at her. Like he knew everything about her. "After, you take me home." She ordered, giving him a stern glare.</p><p>"Course." He nodded, obviously trying to control the triumphant smile breaking out on his face.</p><p>"And you leave me alone. Forever."</p><p>The smile slid from his face, that deep sadness flickering in his eyes again. He pursed his lips and gave a jerky nod. "Alright." He muttered, digging his hands deeper into his pockets. "Deal."</p><p>She nodded again, already wondering what in the hell she had gotten herself into. "Lets get it over with then."</p><p>~DW~</p><p>"The story begins with the cybermen." The Doctor started, staring at the fake Doctor and Rosita intently. After looking in through the luggage and seeing the fake, very balloon like TARDIS, the Doctor had insisted he knew what was happening to this man calling himself Doctor. "A long time away, and not so far from here, the cybermen were fought and they were beaten. And they were sent into a howling wilderness called the void, locked inside forevermore." The Doctor started, looking between the three of them from his spot on the luggage. "But then a greater battle rose up, so great that everything inside the void perished. But as the walls of the world weakened, the last of the cybermen must have fallen through the dimensions, back in time to land here, and they found you."</p><p>"I fought them – I know that." The fake Doctor muttered. "But what happened?"</p><p>"At the same time, another man came to London... Mr. Jackson Lake." He glanced back at the luggage around them, before looking back at the fake Doctor. Ivy raised an eyebrow, wondering where he was going with this. She felt like she knew, but she couldn't connect all the dots. "Plenty of luggage, money in his pocket. Maybe coming to town for the winter season – I don't know. But he found the cybermen, too. And just like you- exactly like you- he took hold of an infostamp."</p><p>It clicked inside Ivy's head... the fact they had not found the body of Jackson Lake, the memory loss... the dress she had found earlier in the luggage. She closed her eyes, feeling horribly sorry for the man. The dress is was got her the most. Jackson Lake was here as the Doctor... but where was the women who owned the dress? She felt sick, thinking what those cybermen could have done to the poor women.</p><p>"But he's dead. Jackson Lake is dead. The cybermen murdered him."</p><p>"You said no body was ever found." Ivy whispered, earning a look from the Doctor. She met his eyes, saw the sympathy and sadness there and she knew without a doubt her suspicions were right.</p><p>"And you kept all of his luggage." The Doctor continued, looking back at the two of them gravely. "But you could never bring yourself to open them."</p><p>She could see it slowly dawning on Jackson as well. He didn't look like he wanted to believe it, but she could see it in his eyes.</p><p>"I told you the answer was in the fob watch." The Doctor whispered, glancing down at where it rested in the other man's jacket. "Can I see it?" He slowly pulled it out, gingerly handing the watch over to the Doctor. The Doctor took it, holding the blank side out to them before turning it over to reveal the 'JL' in fancy script. "JL. The watch is Jackson Lake's."</p><p>The confused man's face screwed up, the reality hitting him full force. Ivy almost wanted to reach out for him, but she knew no matter what she did, it wouldn't help. "Jackson Lake is... you, sir?" Rosita asked, staring at the man next to her in confusion.</p><p>"But I'm the Doctor." Jackson insisted, fear and pain in his blue eyes. But she could also see the delusion slowly falling apart before him.</p><p>"You became the Doctor because the infostamp you picked up," The Doctor grabbed it, flipping it in the air. "Was a book about one particular man." He aimed the infostamp, lighting up the wall before them. The face of an older man with long white hair looked out at her, flashing to another old man with dark black hair. "The cybermen's database." More men flashed by, one with a wild mass of curls, another with a youthful face. "Stolen from the Dalek's inside the void, I'd say. But it's everything you could want to know about the Doctor." A couple of other men flashed by before the Doctor before them came on, all disheveled hair and the nice suit.</p><p>"That's you." Jackson whispered, turning to the Doctor with wide eyes.</p><p>"Time Lord, TARDIS, enemy of the cybermen?" He clicked his tongue, looking at the two of them. "The one and the only."</p><p>He unclicked the infostamp, letting it fall to the side. Jackson sighed, burying his face in his hands and his shoulders slumping. The poor man.</p><p>"You see, the infostamp must have backfired, streamed all that information about me... right inside your head."</p><p>Jackson's eyes filled with tears, breathing hard as he began to remember. Ivy could see him coming to terms slowly with the reality of what had happened. "I am nothing but a lie." He sighed, his voice wavering.</p><p>To her surprise, the Doctor quickly leaned forward, adamantly shaking his head. "No, no, no, no." He said quickly. "Infostamps are just facts and figures. All that bravery... saving Rosita, defending London Town... hmm? And the invention, building a TARDIS, that's all you." He assured him, smiling at the man kindly.</p><p>"You were working to save these people far before we came here." Ivy added, smiling softly at Jackson as he gazed at her. "You were doing that."</p><p>"Yes." The Doctor agreed, nodding. "You did all that."</p><p>"And what else?" Jackson growled, looking up at them with wild eyes suddenly. The smile slowly slid from the Doctor's face and she knew he had caught on to the women's clothing as well. "Tell me what else."</p><p>"There's still something missing, isn't there?"</p><p>"I demand you tell me, sir!" Jackson cried, shaking as he stared down the Doctor. He looked over at Ivy as well, glaring. "Tell me what they took."</p><p>Ivy closed her eyes as the Doctor slowly leaned away from Jackson, a terrible sadness in his eyes. "Sorry." He whispered. "Really, I am so sorry. But that's an awful lot of luggage for one man. 'Cause an infostamp is plain technology. It's not enough to make a man lose his mind. What you suffered is called a fugue... a fugue state where the mind just runs away, because it can't bear to look back." Jackson closed his eyes, pain etched into his features. "You wanted to become someone else, because Jackson Lake had lost so much."</p><p>There was a pause and a bell tolled outside, echoing through the barn. "Midnight – Christmas day." Rosita whispered, looking sad despite that happy thought.</p><p>"I remember." Jackson whispered, his face filling with sorrow. "Oh, my God. Caroline. They killed my wife." He broke then, the full reality hitting him. His chin shook, tears filling his eyes as he began to cry. "They killed her." Rosita leaned close, rubbing his back soothingly. But Ivy knew... there was no comforting someone in this situation. Nothing could be done or said to make him feel better.</p><p>"Nathan?" She whispered, struggling to lift herself up from the hospital bed. The nurse pushed her back, her hands strong and gentle at the same time.</p><p>"Calm down, sweetheart. Just lay back-"</p><p>"Where is he? Where's Nathan?" She begged, still struggling despite the intense pain in her stomach and chest. The women paused, something flickering on her face that made Ivy freeze and stare at her. "Where is he?" She demanded, her heart beating wildly in her chest.</p><p>"Just lie back, honny." She urged, her sad blue eyes not meeting hers.</p><p>"No..." She whispered, a terrible, deep pain knocking the wind out of her. Tears filled her eyes, slipping down her pale cheeks. "Please... where is he?"</p><p>"I'm so sorry, sweetie." The nurse whispered, her hand slipping away from her. She didn't need to restrain her anymore. There was no one to run to, no one to find.</p><p>He was dead.</p><p>Suddenly, the infostamp emitted a loud beeping and the end lit up, causing the Doctor to lift it curiously. The other one under his jacket started as well and Ivy turned, hearing some other muffled beeping behind them. The Doctor jumped up, following after her as she made her way toward the trunks of luggage. She leaned closer to the luggage, trying to find which one it was coming from, before opening the one to reveal a long string of infostamps. "You found a whole cache of infostamps." He said, giving the string an impressed look.</p><p>"Why are they beeping like that? What's happening?" Ivy asked, getting a bit annoyed with his excitement. If those stamps belonged to those cybermen, then the beeping couldn't be anything good.</p><p>"Activation... a call to arms." He muttered, his head snapping up in alarm. "The cybermen are moving." Without warning he took off, running on his long legs out the door and into the snow. Ivy made a noise of irritation, following after him to the door and watching him head out.</p><p>"Doctor!" She cried, torn between following him and staying with the wounded Jackson Lake behind her. She looked back at him, taking in his sad appearance and broken stance. "Shit."</p><p>"He needs help." Jackson said, tearing her eyes away from the outside. He patted Rosita's leg gently, pulling himself up from his seat. "I learned that much about him. There should be someone at his side." He looked up at Ivy and Rosita, tears still shinning in his eyes. He gave a shaky smile, nodding toward the door. "Go, now. The both of you. Go."</p><p>Ivy bit her lip, meeting Rosita's eyes as she turned and headed for the door. She paused, clearly waiting on Ivy. "Jackson-"</p><p>"Go, Ivy." He ordered, his voice becoming firm. "He always needs you most of all."</p><p>She stared, scared and completely confused by that statement. She hated all of this. The way the Doctor seemed to know her so well, the craziness of these aliens, the time travel, and the memories that she had worked so hard to repress that were coming to the surface all over again. She didn't want to go and face those... things again. She just wanted to go home.</p><p>But she knew she had too. She knew what was at stake if she didn't. So she took a deep breath, steeled herself and followed after Rosita and the Doctor. She was greeted with a long line of children heading through the square, bedraggled and clearly freezing. The Doctor stood in front of them, watching them pass with an alarmed look on his face. "What is it?" She asked, staring worriedly at the children.</p><p>"That's Mr. Cole!" Rosita cried, looking toward the back of the line at a tall, older man marching behind the children, as though herding them. "He's master of the Hazel Street Workhouse. Maybe he's taking them to prayers."</p><p>"What the hell is in his ear?" Ivy asked, catching a glance of the odd metal devices that seemed to be attached to his ears.</p><p>"Can you hear me?" The Doctor called after him, following Mr. Cole and coming to his side. "Hello!" He cried, not even earning a glance in his direction from Mr. Cole. Instead, the old man stared straight ahead, a blank look on his wrinkled face. "No? Mr. Cole, you seem to have something in your ear. Now," He reached into his pocket, fumbling around for what she assumed was his sonic screwdriver. "This might hurt a bit, but if I can just..."</p><p>The Doctor was interrupted by a loud, menacing growling and they all turned to find one of the robot/creature hybrids that they had nearly been killed by earlier that day. The Doctor glared at the thing, quickly shoving his sonic back in his jacket. "Oh, they're on guard. Can't risk a fight, not with the children."</p><p>Ivy felt her stomach lurch, fear filling her as she stared at that thing and hating how close it was to the poor kids. "We can't let those things near them." Ivy said, her voice wavering with the fear that was threatening to overwhelm her. The Doctor suddenly reached out, laying a hand gently on her shoulder.</p><p>"We won't." He assured her, squeezing lightly. She met his eyes, seeing the deep sincerity there and for the first time during this whole thing... she trusted him. Because she could see how much he cared, how much he wanted... needed to save these kids as well.</p><p>"Where are they going?" Rosita asked, staring off after the group of children. Jed came from the side suddenly, looking after them as well.</p><p>"They all need a good whipping, if you ask me." He turned toward them, looking irritated. "There's tons of them. I've just seen another lot coming down from the Ingleby workhouse, down Broadback lane."</p><p>"Where's that?" The Doctor asked, looking toward Rosita urgently.</p><p>"This way."</p><p>The three of them took off down an alley, running past a couple stumbling drunkenly around, before turning a couple of times and then stopping when they came across another group of children being herded by a nicely dressed man with that metal in his ears. "There's dozens of them!" Rosita cried, shaking her head.</p><p>"But what for?" The Doctor asked, slowly walking with the group. They followed after them for a bit longer before the Doctor grabbed her and Rosita's arms, yanking them behind a large piece of wood.</p><p>"What-" She started, but he quickly put his hand over her mouth, nodding toward something. She glanced up, catching sight of some cybermen standing in front of a pair of doors as the children entered. Ivy quickly got out of his grasp, hating how close the children were to those horrible things. "We have to do something-"</p><p>The Doctor gripped her arm, pulling her a bit closer and giving her a warning look. "We figure out what's going on and we will. Don't go running off, you understand?"</p><p>She glared at him, a flare of anger in her chest. "Those kids are walking right into danger-"</p><p>"And so will you if you get all impulsive." He snapped back, whipping around to look at Rosita. Ivy glared at the back of his head, fighting the urge to punch him. "Where do those lead?"</p><p>"That's the door to the sluice. All the sewage runs through there, straight into the Thames." Rosita explained.</p><p>"Nah, that's too well-guarded." The Doctor muttered, deliberating for a moment before jumping up when the cybermen were out of view. "We'll have to find another way in." They took off, only taking a couple of steps before they came face to face with two cybermen, tall and imposing "That's cheating – sneaking up." The Doctor cried, taking a step in front of Ivy. "Do you have your legs on 'silent'?"</p><p>A women came forward, dressed in a blood red, silk dress. She had a severe kind of beauty, all pale and sharp edges and dark hair. She came to stand before the cybermen, glancing at the three of them curiously. "So... what do we have here?"</p><p>The Doctor quickly began to beckon her toward them, fearful for her safety when she stood so close to the cybermen. But Ivy could already tell something was wrong with the women, who looked to at ease around the metal men. Her suspicions were confirmed when she smiled nonchalantly at the Doctor when he begged her to come away from them. "Oh," She purred, her red lips turning up. "But they wouldn't hurt me- my fine boys. They are my knights in shining armor, quite literally."</p><p>"Even if they've converted you, that's not a cyber-speech pattern. You've still got free will. I'm telling you, step away."</p><p>"She's got free will because they didn't have to take it from her." Ivy whispered, glaring around the Doctor at the women.</p><p>She gave a little laugh, her eyes flickering toward Ivy. "Smart, you are. She's correct. No one's ever been able to change my mind. The Cybermen offered me the one thing I wanted... liberation."</p><p>"Who are ya?" Rosita asked.</p><p>The women's eyes flicked toward Rosita, glaring at her. "You can be quiet. I doubt he paid you to talk."</p><p>"You stupid-" Ivy started, not liking the way she was talking to Rosita, taking a step forward but the Doctor quickly blocked her path. The women gave an amused smile, like she was a silly little child throwing a tantrum.</p><p>"More importantly, who are you, sir, with such an intimate knowledge of my companions?" The women asked, raising an eyebrow at him.</p><p>"I'm the Doctor." He stated.</p><p>"Incorrect." The cybermen to the left beeped, its mouth lighting up. "You do not correspond to our image of the Doctor."</p><p>"Yeah," He muttered, shrugging. "But that's 'cause your database got corrupted. Oh, look, look, look." He paused, pulling the infostamp from earlier out of his pocket. "Check this- the Doctor's infostamp." He tossed the metal tube toward the still cybermen, who caught it with a clank. "Plug it in. Go on, download."</p><p>The cybermen stared down at it, before looking back up at the Doctor. "The core has been damaged." He said, staring at them blankly. "This infostamp would damage cyberunits."</p><p>The Doctor squirmed, looking a bit sheepish at being caught. Ivy couldn't help but be a bit impressed with the thought though. "Oh, well, nice try." He mumbled, shrugging.</p><p>The cybermen looked down at the infostamp again, a couple of beeping issuing from it before it looked up at them again. "Core repaired. Download." It's chest opened, revealing a port for the infostamp and sticking it into it. After a moment it ripped it out, it's black eyes looking them over. "You are the Doctor."</p><p>"Hello." The Doctor said, waving his fingers at the robots.</p><p>"You will be deleted." The cybermen droned, but the Doctor quickly waved his hands in alarm.</p><p>"No, no. But let me die happy." The Doctor cried, backing up a bit. "Just tell me one thing... what do you need those children for?"</p><p>"What are children ever needed for?" The women asked, her red lips turning up into a mocking smile. "They're a workforce."</p><p>"For what?" Ivy demanded, her anger overtaking everything else. She wanted to wipe that smug look off that women's face.</p><p>"Very soon now, the whole empire will see and they will bow down."</p><p>"And it's all been timed for Christmas day. Was that your idea, Miss..." The Doctor asked, looking at her curiously.</p><p>"Hartigan, and yes." She grinned. "The perfect day for a birth, with a new message for the people... only this time, it won't be the words of a man."</p><p>"The birth of what?" The Doctor asked, clearly growing more worried.</p><p>"A birth and a death... namely, yours." Her smile turned icy. "I'm glad to have been part of your very last conversation. Now... delete them."</p><p>"Delete." The cybermen cried, marching toward them. The Doctor quickly pushed her and Rosita back, trying to protect them but it wasn't needed. The cybermen's head lit up like before, electricity crackling before they fell to their knees, revealing Jackson just behind them with the row of infostamps wrapped around his chest. He looked exactly like some great hero in the movies, all dramatic and handsome and Ivy couldn't help but smile.</p><p>"At your service, Doctor."</p><p>"Shade! Shade!" Miss Hartigan cried and one of the half robot, half animal came running toward them. The Doctor quickly grabbed Ivy's arm, pulling her and Rosita away.</p><p>"Run! Come on!"</p><p>They both listened, heading past Miss Hartigan as she continued to cry out for the shade. But just before, Rosita turned. "Oh, one thing." She growled, before pulling her arm back and punching Miss. Hartigan straight across the face. Ivy gave a whoop of laughter, staring down at the dazed women.</p><p>"Ooh! Can I say... I completely disapprove." The Doctor cried, staring down at the women with wide eyes before pulling Rosita back.</p><p>"I don't! That was awesome!" Ivy laughed. Rosita gave a cocky smile before the Doctor scoffed and shoved them away again.</p><p>~DW~</p><p>"What do the cybermen want?" Rosita asked, lifting her skirts a bit higher as they made their way through the sewers. It smelled and Ivy wanted nothing more than to get out. Help the kids, help the kids. She thought, trying to ignore how wet her shoes and clothes were getting wet.</p><p>"They want us." The Doctor said, glancing back at them. "That's what cybermen are... human beings with their brains put into metal shells."</p><p>"Those things used to be human?" Ivy asked in shock. Despite what he creatures were doing, she couldn't help but feel sorry for them. Had it hurt? Had those people suffered?</p><p>"Yes." The Doctor answered. "They want every living thing to be like them."</p><p>Ivy shook her head, frowning. "They aren't people anymore, right? We can't save them somehow?"</p><p>The Doctor sighed, glancing over at her with a sad look and she already knew the answer. "No. Once they're converted... there is no helping them."</p><p>They lapsed into a tense silence, continuing down the tunnel. They twisted and turned before coming to an opening. They crouched down, looking through to see groups of children doing various different jobs as Cybermen walked about. A tall, metal machine was in the background with gears turning and steam blowing out. It was huge and like nothing Ivy had ever seen.</p><p>"Upon my soul..." Jackson muttered.</p><p>"What is it?" Rosita asked, staring up at the thing in amazement.</p><p>"It's an engine." The Doctor whispered, looking a little dazed by the thing himself. "They're generating electricity, but what for?"</p><p>"We can set them free." Jackson said, quickly trying to stand and make his way toward the children, but the Doctor quickly stopped him.</p><p>"No, no, no, no, no." He said, holding him back. He stood then, heading back down the tunnel. Rosita followed after, but Ivy stayed behind with Jackson.</p><p>"We'll help them." She assured him, giving him a reassuring smile. Jackson looked at her, still clearly worried for the children, but he got up and followed after her when she went back to find the Doctor. They found him staring at what looked like a computer screen, but as tapped his knuckle on the screen, the picture fuzzed and blurred.</p><p>"Hold on." The Doctor muttered. "Power fluctuation... that's not meant to happen."</p><p>"It's going wrong?" Jackson asked, looking at the thing curiously.</p><p>"No, it's weird. The software's rewriting itself. It's changing." He muttered, clearly confused by what was happening. He squinted at it, leaning a bit closer before the thing suddenly sparked, nearly hitting him in the face. "Whoa! What the hell's happening? It's out of control!"</p><p>Red numbers flashing on the screen, scrolling higher and higher at an alarming rate. "It's accelerating... 96%, 97%." Jackson read, looking back at the Doctor in alarm.</p><p>"When it reaches 100%, what about the children?" Ivy asked quickly, looking over at the Doctor urgently. He looked back at her, his eyes widening as he ripped his glasses off.</p><p>"They're disposable. Come on!"</p><p>~DW~</p><p>They quickly ushered the children out, waving them out the door as fast as they could. "Come on. Come on. Come on." The Doctor urged, spinning and looking around to make sure the last of the little kids had made it out. A few stragglers were left behind, but they were quickly heading out on their little legs. The Doctor made his way toward another part of the engine, his intelligent eyes flickering over it and trying to figure it out. "It's some sort of starter motor, but starting what?" He asked, analyzing the machine.</p><p>"Uh... could it be a ship?" Ivy asked, staring at the metal uselessly. For the millionth time, she wondered what the hell she was doing here. She wasn't as smart as the Doctor and she had no idea what to do.</p><p>"Don't know." The Doctor mumbled, leaning a bit closer.</p><p>"Doctor, that's my son! Doctor, my son!" Jackson cried, alarming the both of them. Ivy whipped around, following after the Doctor as he headed toward the hysterical Jackson staring up toward the ceiling.</p><p>"What?" Ivy asked, her heart thudding in her chest.</p><p>"They took my son!" Jackson sobbed, staring up at a young boy standing on a ledge above. He stared down at them with big, fearful eyes, looking frozen in shock. "No wonder my mind escaped. Those damned cybermen, they took my child! But he's alive!" Jackson cried, pointing at the boy urgently.</p><p>"We have to get him." Ivy said, looking over at the Doctor. He nodded, hurriedly running toward the ledge.</p><p>"Come on!" The Doctor cried, trying to get the boy down. But he was too scared, stuck on the edge from fear.</p><p>"Oh, he's too scared. Stay there!" Jackson ordered, looking around to try to find a way up. "Don't move! I'm coming!" He made a dash for the stairs, but just as he was about to set foot on the first one, flames burst forward, nearly setting him on fire. The whole room began to shake, the metal creaking ominously. He fell back and Ivy came to his side.</p><p>"Are you alright?" She asked, pulling him to his feet. He didn't answer, completely unconcerned for his own safety. He only had eyes for his son.</p><p>"I can't get up there. Fred!"</p><p>"They've finished with the motor. It's gonna blow up!" The Doctor yelled and Ivy saw more areas burst into flames, sparking and flaring.</p><p>"Doctor, we have to get the boy." Ivy urged, fear clenching in her chest as she glanced up at the small Fred.</p><p>"What are we going to do?!" Jackson cried.</p><p>The Doctor grabbed the sword at Jackson's side, pulling it out with a flare. "Come on, Jackson." He grinned, heading over to a large rope and wrapping his arm in it. "You know me." He turned, winking cheekily at Ivy just before he slashed the rope and it jerked him upward, sailing up toward Fred. Ivy couldn't help but laugh, watching in disbelief as he jumped onto the platform, landing just before the boy. "Oh, hello!" Ivy heard him say. "Now, hold on tight. Don't let go."</p><p>The Doctor put the boy on his back and just in time, he grabbed the rope and sailed across the gap, avoiding another flare of flames. Ivy's heart was beating out of her chest, from fear and adrenaline alike, as she desperately tried to find where the Doctor and Fred had landed in the smoke. "Doctor!" She called, becoming alarmed. But there he was, running through the smoke with Fred in his arms. He stopped before Jackson, handing the boy over with a grin.</p><p>"Merry Christmas." He said. Jackson's face broke out into a smile and he wrapped his arms around his son tightly.</p><p>"That was amazing." Ivy laughed before wrapping her own arms around the Doctor, surprising herself and him. But she was just so glad that he and Fred were okay. He hugged her back, his thin arms surprisingly strong. But suddenly there was another loud rumble and they broke apart, running toward the exit as quickly as they could. The place was sparking and blowing up, the heat becoming almost unbearable. Ivy covered her mouth, trying to dodge the various sparks and debris heading for her. They finally made their way back to the cellar, flying past the machine and toward the door.</p><p>The Doctor stopped before the machine though, tinkering around with it for a moment. "Hurry up!" She urged, just as something came shooting out of the thing into the air. The Doctor caught it, gripped it tightly and continued through the door with them. They made their way out to the snow covered street but came to a halting stop when the caught sight of a massive robot looming over them in the sky. It was dozens of feet tall, towering over the city threateningly.</p><p>"It's a cyberking!" The Doctor yelled in alarm, his eyes wide as he took in the sight of it. Whatever that was, Ivy could already tell it wasn't good.</p><p>"And that is?" Ivy asked, almost dreading the answer.</p><p>"It's a ship, dreadnought class... front line of an invasion. And inside the chest, a cyberfactory, ready to convert millions."</p><p>Ivy felt a cold dread fill her as she look up at the thing. "God..." She whispered, her hands tightening into fists to try to stop the shaking. What in the hell was she doing here?</p><p>"I will stride across this tiny... little world." A robot, female voice boom through London, just as the thing began to stride out of the water and into the city. It's foot smashed down, crunching the brick buildings in its way as though it was nothing. She hoped to God no one was inside them.</p><p>"Come on." The Doctor urged, grabbing Ivy's arm and pulling her through the streets and away from the giant. "Just head south." He said, looking between Jackson and Ivy. "Head south through the parkland."</p><p>"Where are you going?" Jackson asked, staring at him in confusion.</p><p>"To stop that thing." He said simply, as though this wasn't a potentially deadly situation.</p><p>"But I should be with you." Jackson cried, but the Doctor shook his head adamantly.</p><p>"Jackson, you've got your son. You've got a reason to live." The Doctor said, giving him a stern look.</p><p>"And you haven't?"</p><p>The Doctor's face fell, his brown eyes flickering toward Ivy for a brief moment, something deep and intense in them. It was sadness and fear and something else that Ivy couldn't or didn't want to name. It made her stomach twist uncomfortably and she fought the urge to run away from that look. It terrified her. He looked away though, just as quickly as he had looked, his eyes falling back on Jackson. "Take her with you." The Doctor ordered.</p><p>Jackson nodded dutifully, his hand coming to rest on Ivy's shoulder. "God save you, Doctor." He said gravely. Before Ivy could even protest, the Doctor took off, sprinting on his long legs through the streets. Ivy quickly tried to tear away from Jackson, but he caught her arm tightly.</p><p>"Get off!" She snapped, struggling to get away.</p><p>"I will do as he asks-"</p><p>"He's not going alone!" She yelled, finally tearing away from Jackson and tearing off after the Doctor. She wasn't sure why. She was scared and had no idea what he was planning, but she knew she couldn't let him go alone. That lonely look in his eyes... it was a look she had seen so many times before when she looked into the mirror.</p><p>She ran through the snow covered streets, trying to catch up to him. She caught sight of that brown suit, a bit of relief filling her. "Doctor!"</p><p>He stopped, turning back toward her with a mixture of anger and worry on his face. "Ivy! I told you to go-"</p><p>"Oh, shut up!" She snapped, glaring up at him. "You made me stay to help, so I'm helping."</p><p>He blew out an angry sigh, running his hand free hand through his hair. "You're gonna be the death of me." He growled, but despite the anger in his eyes, she saw a glint of amusement. "Come on."</p><p>They went back to the stables, grabbed some infostamps and after some bribing, were able to get Jed to help them into the TARDIS. Ivy still wasn't sure what the Doctor's plan was, not having time to ask as they tried to quickly get the balloon up in the air. The Doctor didn't even know how to fly the thing and she sure as hell didn't either.</p><p>"Throw this over." He ordered, handing her a rather heavy sack. She did as she was told, tossing it over and hoping it didn't land on Jed below. They continued to sore upward, coming closer and closer to the head of the cyber ship.</p><p>"Are we going to kill them?!" Ivy yelled over the wind, looking at the string of infostamps and the thing he had brought from the machine inside the cellar.</p><p>"No." The Doctor called back, holding steadily onto the balloon as the thing began to turn toward them. "We're going to help."</p><p>Ivy raised an eyebrow, wondering what on Earth they could possibly to do help that thing as he began to wrap the string of infostamps around his arm. He pushed her back as the thing stared back at them. Ivy squinted, taking in the familiar bright red dress and dark hair of Miss. Hartigan through the open mouth of the machine.</p><p>"Excellent. The Doctor- yet another man come to assert himself against me in the night." Miss Hartigan's voice boomed, but with a robotic edge.</p><p>"Miss. Hartigan, I'm offering you a choice!" The Doctor yelled back. "You might have the most remarkable mind this world has ever seen, strong enough to control the cybermen themselves."</p><p>"I don't need you to sanction me." Miss Hartigan scoffed.</p><p>"No, but such a mind deserves to live. The cybermen came to this world using a dimension vault. I can use that device to find you a home, with no people to convert, but a new world, where you can live out your mechanical life in peace." The Doctor said, gripping the infostamps tightly at his side. Ivy felt her heart beat wildly in her chest, hoping Miss Hartigan took the deal. But of course, it couldn't be that easy.</p><p>"I have the world below." She said simply. "And it is abundant with so many minds, ready to become extensions of me. Why would I leave this place?"</p><p>"Because if you don't, I'll have to stop you." He said, his voice grave. Ivy glanced at him and to her surprise, he almost looked reluctant. Sad. Even with all the pain and suffering the women and creatures had caused... he didn't want to hurt them.</p><p>"What do you make of me, sir, an idiot?"</p><p>"No." He sighed. "The question is, what do you make of me?" He lifted his arm, his finger pausing on the end of the infostamp. "You make me into this."</p><p>A beam of electricity shot out the end, straight into the mouth toward Miss Hartigan. But she didn't scream, didn't die like the other cybermen from before. In fact... nothing happened. "Did it not work?" She asked, her alarm growing.</p><p>"It worked." He whispered back, but he didn't sound happy about it.</p><p>"Then I have made you a failure!" Miss Hartigan taunted him, her voice booming over the speakers just as before. "Your weapons are useless, sir."</p><p>"I wasn't trying to kill you. All I did was break the cyber-connection... leaving your mind open—open, I think, for the first time in far too many years. So you can see." Inside the mouth, Ivy could see the Cybermen turning toward Miss Hartigan, who stared back with wide eyes. "Just look at yourself. Look at what you've become. I'm sorry, Miss Hartigan, but look at what you've become."</p><p>Suddenly she screamed and Ivy could see her twisting frantically inside. She actually felt a bit of sympathy for the women as she struggled, clearly fearful. "I'm so sorry." The Doctor whispered, staring on with sad eyes. She continued screaming and electricity began to crackle inside, obscuring the cybermen and Miss Hartigan before the inside began to blow up and they were gone. The robot began to stumble, parts of its body exploding as it fell apart.</p><p>"It's going to fall." Ivy gasped, grabbing into the Doctor's arm in alarm. But the long, gun like device next to her began to beep and the Doctor grabbed it in excitement.</p><p>"Now you're ready!" He rejoiced, cocking it like a gun and pointing it at the thing. An odd light began to emit from it, surrounding the thing in odd rings. It only took a couple of seconds, but the thing slowly faded away and was completely gone.</p><p>"Wh-what?"</p><p>"Dimension vault." He said, giving her a small smile. "Sent it away through the vortex. It'll denigrate there."</p><p>"I'll pretend like I understand." She muttered, earning another small grin from him. He stared at the empty space, a dejected look still on his face. "You did it. You saved them."</p><p>He glanced at her, his face softening just a bit before cheers reached Ivy's ears. She glanced down with the Doctor, listening to the people down below crying out in thanks and clapping. Ivy grinned, taking in all the safe people and letting the relief wash over her. The Doctor lay his hand on her back suddenly, that sadness fading away to a plain, happy smile. "We did it." He said, wrapping his arm around her and squeezing her to his side. She felt slightly uncomfortable being so close to him, her old habit of pushing people away taking over, but she kept where she was. Because he was right. And she was happy.</p><p>~DW~</p><p>Ivy sat little Fred down on the ground, straightening his little jacket and smiling. "You be good for your father and Rosita, okay?" She ordered, giving him a playfully stern look. He grinned at her, the corners of his bright blue eyes crinkling.</p><p>"Yes, ma'am." He said, looking down at the ground and kicking at some snow.</p><p>"Good boy." She laughed, standing up straight and looking toward Jackson and Rosita. "This is goodbye, I guess."</p><p>"It was amazing to meet you, Miss Ivy." Jackson said kindly, extending his hand to her and shaking it.</p><p>"You too. Both of you." She said, extending her hand to Rosita. But the fiery women wasn't having it. Instead she wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly. Ivy grunted, patting her uncomfortably on the back as Jackson laughed at the two of them.</p><p>"You two stay safe now, you hear?" Rosita ordered, giving her and the Doctor firm looks. The Doctor grinned back, nodding reassuringly.</p><p>"Course." He said, shaking Jackson's hand and hugging Rosita as well. "Good-bye."</p><p>Ivy waved one last time at little Fred, taking in that cute face one last time before turning and following after the Doctor toward the TARDIS. "God, he was adorable." She gushed as they rounded the corner, heading toward the TARDIS.</p><p>"He was a cute kid." The Doctor agreed, pulling his key out and opening the door. "Didn't think he was going to let you leave."</p><p>Ivy smiled, slowly walking up the grated stairs toward the consol. "Rosita and Jackson will take good care of him."</p><p>The Doctor nodded, his fingers skimming gently over the metal of the console before he slowly turned toward her. "Home, then?"</p><p>She stared at him, taking in those sad, lonely brown eyes and, to her surprise, she actually felt unsure. "You said... you said that I bounce around your timeline. So I've already been around with you." She paused, frowning. "Do I even have the option of going home?"</p><p>"Course you do." He said, leaning back against the console and folding his arms. "I don't know how long you'll stay though."</p><p>"What does that mean?" She asked, stepping closer and looking at him fearfully. He sighed, reluctantly glancing up at her.</p><p>"I still don't know why, but you just show up. Suddenly, in this flash of light, you'll be there. And you'll leave the same way." He explained slowly, watching her carefully. "You can't control it... and neither can I."</p><p>She closed her eyes, biting down on her lip to stop from crying. "You're saying I can never go home." She whispered, her voice shaking dangerously.</p><p>"Ivy..." The Doctor sighed, reaching out for her, but his hand dropped when he thought better of it. "I'm sorry."</p><p>"Why?" She whispered, a tear slowly slipping down her cheek. "Why me? Why now? I was getting my life together. I was starting to get better-"</p><p>"I know." He said, stepping closer. "I know and I'm sorry. I've tried to fix it. I have. But I don't even know what causes it. I swear to you, Ivy."</p><p>She looked up at him, wiping the tears away unsteadily. Somehow, as she looking into his eyes, she knew he was telling the truth. This stranger, who had run off to save an entire city by himself, who had chosen to save instead of kill, she knew he wasn't a bad man. She didn't know him that well, but she at least knew that much. "I don't want this." She said, sounding pathetic and small.</p><p>He closed his eyes briefly, his fingers twitching on the console. "I'm sorry, Ivy."</p><p>"H-how do I get back to that bedroom?" She asked, wiping at her cheeks again and looking away. "I just... I need-"</p><p>"Down the hallway. The TARDIS will get you there." He said, turning away from her and leaning against the console. She quickly made her way toward where he was pointing, pausing to glance back at him. His shoulders were tight and hunched, looking completely defeated despite the fact that they had just saved all those people. She had done that. And despite her own pain... she actually felt a bit guilty.</p><p>She turned again, quickly heading down the hallway until she reached a door. She opened it, revealing the bedroom she had woken up in before. She slipped inside, closing the door behind her before she fell to the ground and allowed herself to cry.</p>
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